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June 10, 2022
In This Issue:
  • Trade Veteran Doug McKalip Nominated as USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator
  • New Podcast: Mexico and Farm Bill Updates and Preview of the NPC 2022 Summer Meeting
  • GOP Leaders Request Withdrawal of Administration’s Amicus Brief on Roundup
  • See You in Music City!
  • No Eye Next Week
Trade Veteran Doug McKalip Nominated as USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator

On Wednesday, President Biden announced his intent to nominate Doug McKalip as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative. McKalip is in his 29th year of federal service as an agriculture policy leader and trade expert. Since March 2021, he has served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on all agricultural matters relating to trade, national security, animal and plant health regulations, and a wide portfolio of domestic and international issues. McKalip formerly served in a leadership capacity in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Biotechnology Regulatory Services. He served as a Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Agriculture from 2015 to September 2016, and also as Acting Chief of Staff

Citing the recent success in gaining market access for U.S. fresh potatoes throughout Mexico, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai released a statement saying, “Since taking office, the Biden Administration has expanded market access for our agricultural industry and delivered U.S. agricultural products to customers around the world. As a result of our close work with USDA, we are finally exporting fresh potatoes to Mexico, shellfish to the European Union, pork products to Vietnam, and most recently, bringing more U.S. beef to Japan.

“USTR’s Chief Agricultural Negotiator will play a pivotal role in maintaining and building on these successes on behalf of America’s workers, farmers, ranchers, and producers. Doug McKalip is a highly qualified nominee with decades of experience in public service. His institutional knowledge of USDA spans multiple administrations, from leading different offices to serving as trusted advisor to Secretary Vilsack, and will help us continue the close collaboration between our agencies that has enabled so much success,” Tai concluded.

Secretary Vilsack also welcomed the nomination, saying, “Doug McKalip is highly qualified and exceptionally capable of serving the American people as Chief Agricultural Negotiator. Having served as a key agriculture policy official for nearly three decades, he has worked on every aspect of farming from soil conservation, and the supply chain to dealing with sensitive trade and national security matters. Through his service, he has represented American farmers around the world and advocated for U.S. agricultural products and technology.”

National Potato Council Vice President of Trade Affairs and grower from Washington state Ted Tschirky welcomed the news. “With one out of every five rows of U.S. potatoes destined for foreign markets, NPC is encouraged that an agriculture policy veteran like Doug McKalip has been nominated for this vital trade position. We look forward to working with Doug to support America’s potato growers and rural communities by expanding market access for U.S. potatoes,” said Tschirky. 
New Podcast: Mexico and Farm Bill Updates and Preview of the NPC 2022 Summer Meeting

This week, National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles called in from the swamp to update growers on key trade and policy issues moving in Washington, D.C. Plus Kam previewed the organization's 2022 Summer Meeting, June 16-17 in Nashville, which will bring together potato growers from across the country to reconnect in person and kick off the council's next fiscal year.

The Eye on Potatoes Podcast is made possible by our presenting sponsor, Syngenta. Delivering solutions to help producers face the potato industry’s complex challenges, Syngenta provides growers with unmatched field expertise along with an array of effective products. Explore syngenta-us.com/spud-doctor to discover solutions for your potato growing obstacles. 
GOP Leaders Request Withdrawal of Administration’s Amicus Brief on Roundup

Republican leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees sent a letter this week to President Biden calling on the Administration to withdraw its submitted amicus curiae filed with the Supreme Court in a case involving the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) federal registration authority of Roundup. House Ranking Member GT Thompson (R-Penn.) and Senate Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.) questioned the White House’s rationale for filing the brief and invited answers as to why the Solicitor General modified its long-standing position that EPA maintains federal preemption authority on all crop protection tools without consulting the relevant agency subject matter experts.

The letter spells out the negative long-term consequences the Ninth Circuit's decision would have should it be allowed to stand. "If the Ninth Circuit's decision is left in place, not only will growers lose a critical tool from their toolbox, but EPA's registration process will eventually evolve into a state-by-state patchwork that will thwart the science-based and risk-based process Congress has specifically directed EPA to carry out. Importantly, any marketplace confusion will take place during an emerging global food crisis and growing food insecurity," wrote the members. The full letter is available here.

The Supreme Court is expected to announce on Monday whether they will hear the Roundup case.
See You in Music City!

We’re thrilled to host our first in-person Summer Meeting in two years next week in Nashville!

In addition to making decisions about the council’s next fiscal year and reviewing policy efforts underway to support the U.S. potato industry, attendees will enjoy Music City-themed speakers and social events, including dinner at Blake Shelton’s music bar Ole Red. See all the featured events, speakers, and schedule here. 
No Eye Next Week

With the NPC team heading to Tennessee next week, we’ll provide a review of the 2022 Summer Meeting and an update of all things potato-policy related in our next newsletter on June 24.  
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